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Topic: RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Topic: RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

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C Money
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Posted: 9/6/2014 8:56:33 PM

Deciduous Forest Cat wrote:

Kent lost today to S Alabama, so it's not like last weeks performance is looking better a week later.

South Alabama isn't horrible, especially for a team that's only been FBS for two years I think. They'll challenge for the Sun Belt title.

Monroe Slavin
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Posted: 9/6/2014 9:01:28 PM

Deciduous Forest Cat wrote:

ohio9704 wrote:

We were never really a threat to a team that will likely go 4-8. Not sure why everyone wants to put the lipstick on this pig of a performance. D couldnt get off the field when it counted (Third Down) and offense scored 3 pts.

Our D is holding up ok. I'm a little concerned we have yet to force a turnover. Kent lost today to S Alabama, so it's not like last weeks performance is looking better a week later. And I don't see much reason to be optimistic about our offense. 20 total points in two games. Period. playmakers aren't there. Game 1 was fumbles and today was a lot of really costly drops. I'm very disappointed that we played so nervously in front of a group of half-assed football fans at a basketball school.

Also 4th down and a foot to go on our first decent drive, and we run a passing play with a straight drop back, no run/pass option. That was a killer bad call.

Yeah, I have a few gripes about today--and that horrible pass play call on fourth and very short is one of them. The third down before that wasn't great either. About 2.5 yards to go and running up the middle with Daz. Need a bigger back there.

Generally, again, I'm very enthused after today. D will be there all year and I believe that the O will develop.

Too many pass drops today but our O-line did a pretty good job, espec for the last three quarters.

I've doubted Daz's power but his yards after catch on that pass reception right before our field goal were very impressive. Dude would not go down--dragged the pile about 6-8 yards.

Where's the band?!
WHERE"S THE BAND?!

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MonroeClassmate
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky (NT)

Posted: 9/6/2014 10:28:25 PM

Last Edited: 9/6/2014 10:29:25 PM by MonroeClassmate

.
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Posted: 9/6/2014 10:46:27 PM

First, the gameday experience was pretty good at Commonwealth. Friendly fans, sunny skies, SEC-light atmosphere. Then the Biblical downpour that was actually kind of refreshing after all that heat and humidity.

The offense is just the opposite of dynamic. It does everything slightly below average. That nay work gutting out wins in the MAC this season, but this team isn't going to beat really good teams. It will feast on the mid-tier and lower-tier MAC teams.

I think Ohio may get housed in Huntington, unfortunately.

Sprague at least gave the offense a chance by extending plays. VIck will be better against MAC schools where he'll have more time in the pocket and more space. I still think Vick is the answer in the relative long-term, but Sprague was the better choice today.

The drops were maddening. That's a different game if Patterson catches that surefire TD early.

The defense still has my confidence. Not a bad showing. A bit disturbed that a gigantic, slow bulky QB was getting into the second level of the defense regularly, however.

Last Edited: 9/6/2014 10:48:39 PM by .

Monroe Slavin
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Posted: 9/7/2014 7:20:05 PM

Will be interesting to see how Kentucky does the rest of the year.

JerseyArnie
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Posted: 9/7/2014 10:27:44 PM

http://www.athensohiotoday.com/blogs/bobcat_blog/final-ke...

Bobcatbob
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Posted: 9/8/2014 8:33:20 AM

That's a good recap and pretty much matches my takeaway. Reading some of the "put on a happy face" posts here, I thought maybe I saw a different game, at least on the offensive side. I didn't see much to be encouraged about, frankly. The O was hurried and totally stymied all afternoon and the QB shuffle only adds questions.

If we don't want to get run over again (yeah, I know a 17 point loss doesn't look "run over', but it felt like it) the offense needs to find something that we can rely on and move the chains in a consistent way. They need to let the D get some blows early. Maybe this week is Marshall's Superbowl but it truly means nothing to us. Let's just get back to work.

C Money
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Posted: 9/8/2014 9:07:46 AM

Bobcatbob wrote:

If we don't want to get run over again (yeah, I know a 17 point loss doesn't look "run over', but it felt like it) the offense needs to find something that we can rely on and move the chains in a consistent way.

I mentioned in the game chat (and this is NOT a "Fire Albin" post) that the scheme we're trying to run (adopted from the Troy debacle) is askew from the OC's natural tendencies. The first year we ran it (2011) we had some great success, I think because it was new and it took some teams time to adjust, plus Albin was still learning it himself and probably followed the Troy script a bit more.

Now that it's 3 years later, there's plenty of film of us, and Albin may have reverted to his more natural tendencies in personnel and playcalling. So, you get an offense that is very effective in spurts, but also goes 3 and out in spurts.

I just hope DUTM doesn't become the new BUTM. Since we have at least 2 QBs who seem like they will run, I don't think it will. But there were definitely some frustrating moments Saturday offensively, and I don't think it's entirely due to youth, inexperience, or a size/athleticism disadvantage.

GoCats105
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Posted: 9/8/2014 10:22:38 AM

C Money wrote:

Bobcatbob wrote:

THIS. SO MUCH.

The playcalling is unbelievably vanilla and predictable at times. You can almost script it yourself as a fan of Ohio at times. Daz up the middle. Daz off tackle. Straight dropback throw for a quick slant or quick out. UK's defense was good, even great at times. But they weren't only three points allowed great.

I won't agree with DFC to say the playmakers aren't there. I think they are, but they also need to be put into a position to make said plays.

L.C.
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Posted: 9/8/2014 10:59:53 AM

The core problem on offense is the five guys that are easiest to forget about because they never carry the ball. When the offensive line gets a good push, they create space for the running backs to operate. They give the qb time to throw. They give the receivers time to get open. Then, and only then do you really get time to see what the skill players can do, and if they are indeed playmakers.

How many times against Kentucky did a running back take a handoff and have someone in his face? Ideally that never happens, but against Kentucky it happened a lot. How many times did Ohio attempt to throw a deep ball? Maybe once? When you know the QB isn't going to have time, you don't throw deep very often, or you get sacked a lot. Of course, when the D knows that throwing deep isn't an option, they can play tighter and then even the short stuff is tough to complete, and Kentucky knew that, and played tight.

That's what we saw against Kentucky. Ohio ended up running 3 step drops and quick passes at closely covered receivers, and running options and misdirection to try for some rushing yards. Both worked, to an extent. While it may have been somewhat predictable, it was also the best option. Had the offensive coordinators tried to do more, like more deep passes, I think you'd have seen more sacks and turnovers, and things could have been a lot worse.

The bottom line is that on the one hand, I'm impressed with Ohio's true freshmen who are having to already play offensive line (since it's not a total disaster), but I also recognize that any team playing three true freshmen at offensive line against SEC teams is not going to fare all that well.

As each game progresses these young linemen will get more battle tested, and they will learn some lessons and improve. No, they won't suddenly have the benefit if 4 years of college lifting, nor be suddenly turned into 5th year Seniors, but they will most certainly improve. As they do, the rest of the offense will show amazing improvement. All those non-playmakers will show that they indeed are playmakers.

Even better, they will just keep getting better, year after year. Remember, this is supposed to be a rebuilding year offensively, so patience will be needed as we go on. Look for steady improvement from game to game. Look for the defense to hold the games close, and the offense to be opportunistic and score some points here and there, and Ohio to win more games than the 5-7 you might expect, hopefully enough to win the East. And, look for next year to be even better.

Last Edited: 9/8/2014 11:08:39 AM by L.C.

�We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.� ― Epictetus

C Money
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Posted: 9/8/2014 11:41:56 AM

L.C. wrote:

LC, my response would be that it's the coaches' jobs to come up with a winning strategy despite the offense's limitations. Now, sometimes you have truly unwinnable games where the goal is just to get out as quickly as possible with as few injuries as possible--osu in 2010, where every play was Bates into the middle of the line, comes to mind. And maybe the coaches decided Kentucky was one of those games, but I would disagree with that conclusion.

So, if you have a situation where your offense is limited by inferior line play, you need to develop a gameplan where that limitation is at least neutralized. I don't believe our offensive coaches did that on Saturday, and we tried to see what we could make of the base offense, and that was frustrating to watch when it obviously wasn't working.

I don't mind the switch to Sprague for that reason...it was something different, and the results were apparent (I don't think Vick did anything wrong, and I don't think he should lose the startership). Sprague has a skill set that is somewhat different from Vick, and that was working against UK. What I didn't see, though, is our coaches use our other players' skill sets in ways that would seem to make sense. I don't remember any Daz jet sweeps, any flanker or bubble screens, etc. It was just DUTM, or Sprague run around and try to improvise a completion, with some quick timing throws mixed in.

GoCats105
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Posted: 9/8/2014 12:35:37 PM

L.C. wrote:

We're 10 years into Frank's tenure. Why is the offensive line depth still an issue? Save for maybe 2010 and 2011, I feel like this has been a problem since Solich arrived. Maybe it's injuries and maybe it's turnover, but I feel like we should be recruiting enough offensive linemen every year to combat this problem.

L.C.
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Posted: 9/8/2014 12:46:18 PM

C Money wrote:

I guess where we disagree is that I think the coaches did exactly that. I think they tried to come up with a game plan that they thought would work, within the limitations of what they had to work with. They did not try to go toe-to-toe with Kentucky because they believed Kentucky was too strong up the middle. They did not try to run jet sweeps because they believed Kentucky had too much speed. They also didn't run reverses because they believed Kentucky would have too much penetration. I believe they were right to avoid all of these.

They did try to run quick slants because they believed they could make those work. The did run naked QB bootlegs and runs because they believed those would work. They also used some wheel routes for the same reason. I would also agree that these were all sound choices.

The game plan did produce some offense, just not enough. With a few less pass drops, the offensive numbers wouldn't have looked nearly as bleak (particularly if Daz catches that first pass).

�We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.� ― Epictetus

.
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentuckyuivalent to the fullback dive in the Wing-T

Posted: 9/8/2014 12:54:52 PM

If you're waiting for this offensive system to get daring, you're going to be waiting awhile. The pistol look is simply cosmetic. Under the hood is a deeply conservative offense. Which I'm fine with. I just gave up on them ever taking the governor off. Beau/Daz up the middle is their new fullback dive. The problem is the only time it's really clicked is when they had a bowling ball in Blankenship for inside running and the added threat of Tettleton keeping it. The system has a low ceiling but also low variability.

shabamon
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Posted: 9/8/2014 1:02:25 PM

"We're 10 years into Frank's tenure. Why is the offensive line depth still an issue? Save for maybe 2010 and 2011, I feel like this has been a problem since Solich arrived. Maybe it's injuries and maybe it's turnover, but I feel like we should be recruiting enough offensive linemen every year to combat this problem."

Historically, injuries have been a problem for the offensive line under Frank (fire Sano!), but attrition, perhaps some due to injury, is a huge issue this year. The following linemen should be on our roster and healthy, but were unavailable against UK: Mark Smith, Jacob Welter, Mike Curtis, Justin Haser, Tate Leavitt, Durrell Wood, Seth Everhart. Am I missing anyone?

Last Edited: 9/8/2014 1:05:30 PM by shabamon

C Money
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Posted: 9/8/2014 1:14:48 PM

L.C. wrote:

So once it didn't work, what were the adjustments? Sprague came in, and like I said I think that was the right call, but the gains in offense seemed to me to be due more to his improv skills than a change in playcalling. It really didn't seem like we were trying anything different when it was 7-0, 14-0, or 20-3. Maybe the coaches decided it was too late and the game was unwinnable at that point, I don't know.

Like I said, I'm not calling for anybody's head. In the long run, losing to Kentucky isn't the worst thing ever...in fact I expected it, just as I expect a loss to Marshall this weekend, which also will not be the worst thing ever. And if the coaches made the conscious decision to keep it vanilla in pursuit of more important objectives **cough** MAC championship **cough** then that's fine. It's just frustrating as a fan to want to see positive results and instead watch our 177 lbs. running back run into a 300 lbs. tackle over and over and over.

sargentfan
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Posted: 9/8/2014 1:25:22 PM

Maybe I missed it, but quite a few ppl need to eat some Crow after this one. UK's fans were still way off on their predictions, but they still beat us by 17 which is a decent amount. Even though I didn't state on here I am one of those ppl, I thought we had at least a 50% chance to win this game. But being so early in the season its always so hard to figure out two teams with so many talent changes.

rojas
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Posted: 9/8/2014 3:07:23 PM

Delete Pending wrote:

The defense still has my confidence. Not a bad showing. A bit disturbed that a gigantic, slow bulky QB was getting into the second level of the defense regularly, however.

Towles is actually deceivingly fast. He has been clocked by gps in the 40 at 4.4. He is actually one of the fastest kids on UK's team. I agree that with his size (6'5") he doesn't look real fast.

rojas
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Posted: 9/8/2014 3:08:11 PM

Anything over 4 total wins would mean a huge success for UK.

goherd25
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Posted: 9/9/2014 2:33:08 PM

Bobcatbob wrote:

Superbowl? You got it backwards pal. Usually the team that is in the polls and getting hype and projected to be undefeated and in the fiesta bowl is the superbowl for the other team.

Ted Thompson
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Posted: 9/9/2014 2:35:23 PM

Word on the street is that Jeff Piecoro (Kentucky grad) will throw a pie in the face of Thom Brennaman tonight prior to the Reds/Cards game.

Follow Ohio Football recruiting on the BobcatAttack.com football recruiting database.

L.C.
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Posted: 9/9/2014 2:47:18 PM

goherd25 wrote:

... Usually the team that is in the polls and getting hype and projected to be undefeated and in the fiesta bowl is the superbowl for the other team.

Usually.

�We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.� ― Epictetus

Bobcatbob
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Posted: 9/9/2014 3:43:25 PM

goherd25 wrote:

Bobcatbob wrote:

Superbowl? You got it backwards pal. Usually the team that is in the polls and getting hype and projected to be undefeated and in the fiesta bowl is the superbowl for the other team.

Read on: "...truly means nothing to us" is the operative phrase in that sentence.

Also, instead of undefeated, I think you mean "untested", due to the dissembling of your conference. God forbid, but should it happen, OU could be Marshall's quality win in 2014.

perimeterpost
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Posted: 9/9/2014 5:26:40 PM

goherd25 wrote:

Superbowl? You got it backwards pal. Usually the team that is in the polls and getting hype and projected to be undefeated and in the fiesta bowl is the superbowl for the other team.

"Cato was pretty succinct about what the game means as part of a season of great expectations for the Herd.

�We�ve just got to approach the game as the biggest game of the season,� the senior quarterback said."

straight from the mouth of your QB.

http://www.herdzone.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/090814aa...

MY STATE. MY TEAM.

TheBobcatBandit
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RE: Official Game 2 Thread: Kentucky

Posted: 9/9/2014 6:04:58 PM

perimeterpost wrote:

goherd25 wrote:

Superbowl? You got it backwards pal. Usually the team that is in the polls and getting hype and projected to be undefeated and in the fiesta bowl is the superbowl for the other team.

This is clearly the most important game for Marshall, As you can see with that quote, and that really scares me. I think Marshall will be looking for revenge and will come out with a lot of energy and if we can't match that it'll get ugly fast. and even if we do it will still be a hard one to pull out. The good news is our defense should keep it close.

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